Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a product of multi-layered flat material and a process for its manufacture.
Problem Presented and Description of the Related Art
Flat materials such as pressure sensitive adhesive tape, plastic film, cloth, metal foil, composite material film, or paper are commonly provided in a roll form, wound around a cylindrical inner core, which is often made of paper or plastic. Materials manufactured in this manner are usually bulky and not sufficiently compact to place in the pocket of one's clothing or to fit into a confined space.
The demand for convenient handing and storing of products have led to manufacturing these flat materials in a flat profile, instead of a circular roll profile. This modification adds convenience for carrying in a pocket, bag, or pack and creates a product that is easy to store and transport.
Processes to manufacture flat materials in a flat profile have been identified in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,006,464, U.S. Pat. No. 6,224,705, U.S. Pat. Application Publication No. US20080060748, U.S. Pat. No. 6,500,290, and E.U. Pat. No. EP 1,045,016 disclose processes for producing flat material on a cylindrical roll that is subsequently flattened or compressed to create the desired flat shaped profile. U.S. Pat. No. 6,077,577 discloses package of wrapping flat material on a flat core, but the core has multiple parts that may require preassembly prior to wrapping the flat material. U.S. Pat. No. 5,269,421 discloses a package of wrapped flat material on a flat solid core.
Flattening an existing circular roll of tape to produce a flat-shaped package often results in a rebound of the package shape. The flattened package will gradually return to its larger, more circular shape and become less flattened. Manufacturing processes where the core is constructed with multiple pieces additionally adds complexity and cost to the manufacturing operation.
The present invention provides a low cost manufacturing process to wrap a flat material directly onto a flat core, thus creating a package of flat wrapped material that retains its flat profile that is suitable for carrying and storing.